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On the Rise_ Juju Watkins - Season 2 Episode 3 - Big Ten, Bigger Stakes
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Short filmTranscript
00:00I love breaking expectations.
00:14I'm always trying to push boundaries or limitations set on me.
00:18I look at basketball as art.
00:20Juju kind of just paints a picture.
00:22It's just a flow to her game.
00:25Watkins took an extra stab, the crowd went into hush mode.
00:30If you watch her move up the court, she moves differently than everyone else.
00:33When you watch LeBron James move up the court, he moves differently than anyone else.
00:38Watkins, fall and scores!
00:41If there's any player that could lead their team all the way, Juju can do it.
00:55Yeah, we locked in like that?
01:00Dang, Juju!
01:01What's up?
01:02What you doing on your day off, Juju?
01:04I said, what you doing on your day off?
01:05Yeah.
01:06You get some sleep?
01:07Yeah.
01:08Let's go!
01:10Let's go!
01:11Juju and Ken and big guards can go on all four lines.
01:16Here we go.
01:17Let's go.
01:18Last game of the regular season against UCLA.
01:21This is the most important game of the season so far, so just trying to really lock in.
01:27It is harder to be the team second time around, but we can't lose.
01:35We want to give it to them here because everything here is predicated on them being great passers, right?
01:40So let her leg whip here and let her get to her spot.
01:43We just don't want to start here and get it to here.
01:45Okay.
01:46Pressure!
01:47Pressure!
01:48Pressure!
01:49Keep stretch!
01:50Keep stretch!
01:51Good!
01:52J, get off this!
01:54No, it's going in pressure.
01:55We need to be aggressive on defense.
01:56You gotta go, K-9!
01:57You gotta go!
01:58Just even pay more attention to the small details.
02:02Go, Juju!
02:03Yes, Juju!
02:04Yes, Juju!
02:05Yes, Juju!
02:06We knew that for UCLA to have success against us, they would have to beat us on the boards, beat
02:12us in transition, make all the hustle plays, and we just said, we're just not going to
02:16allow that to happen.
02:17Is there any extra motivation knowing that this game is for the Big Ten season right now?
02:20For sure.
02:21Yeah, it's our most important game this year.
02:23Not only are these our cross-town rivals, but, you know, the only thing standing away
02:27from a Big Ten regular season.
02:29All right, thanks everyone.
02:30Thank you, thank you.
02:33Thank you out here at USC.
02:38Move bus.
02:39Juju Watkins.
02:42To see the excitement around the UCLA game.
02:44So many people came out.
02:47To see my face on the side of a bus, students coming to support the bus, it definitely got
02:53me hyped for the game.
02:55You gotta make a bucket.
02:59There we go.
03:00There we go.
03:01There we go.
03:02Got her bus tag.
03:03Shhh.
03:04Yeah.
03:05It's easy.
03:06Yeah.
03:07The Hoop Bus was founded in Southern California.
03:10We go to schools all over L.A.
03:15And to have a local hero like Juju on the side of our bus, it's just so inspiring to so
03:22many girls.
03:23You gotta get it up, over.
03:26I want to come watch Juju plays.
03:30She doesn't give up.
03:31She works hard.
03:33And then they also gave us a note that she wrote something.
03:36We're gonna take you all on the bus and then get ready to go.
03:39Is that cool?
03:40Yeah.
03:41All right.
03:42Can we cheer real quick?
03:43On three.
03:44One, two, three.
03:45Let's go Juju!
03:47When a superstar from your city stays in your city, you not only believe in that player,
03:56but you also start to believe in your city.
03:59And so I think Juju staying home did a lot for, you know, the young girls in L.A.
04:08One, two, three.
04:09Love Juju!
04:10To see the love and support, it motivates me to, you know, work even harder.
04:18We're here in Westwood at Pauley Pavilion.
04:19The Big Ten regular season title at state.
04:20Number two UCLA.
04:21Number four USC.
04:22The Boone's rained down for the Trojans here on the road.
04:23Just for, you know, me growing up in Southern California, the rest of UCLA, the rivalry.
04:25You've seen two ten-minute team going at it.
04:54The conference, and you get the city if you win tonight.
04:58USC and UCLA, here we go.
05:01Whenever we're in, like, hostile environments,
05:03like a UCLA being at that campus and playing at their gym,
05:07like, she definitely, you know, she feeds off the crowd.
05:12Right wing Juju, top of the key, steps into a three, perfect!
05:16Top Watkins, catch and release on a three ball, hits again!
05:19Top Watkins sets her feet again, another three goals!
05:24Watkins, third three of the first!
05:26This was the regular season champ.
05:28I honestly forgot that that was on the line.
05:31I was just playing, like, okay, we're about to play our rivals,
05:34and we have to win.
05:37Parker, they double the post again and rip it three!
05:43Watkins blow the net, starts her move.
05:46And it scores!
05:47That is absolutely lethal from Juju Watkins,
05:51who wants this to be her city.
05:54Let's go, Juju!
05:57Let's go, Juju!
06:00Let's go, Juju!
06:02Beck, swirls at home.
06:04That one took UCLA down just five.
06:07In the second half, it felt like more the pressure was on them,
06:10but we were in foul trouble.
06:12Rice on the repeat for Fence.
06:15A foul against USC once again.
06:18That's three on Watkins.
06:20You look at your entire starting unit,
06:23and at minimum, all have three.
06:26We gotta get stuck here!
06:28We gotta get stuck!
06:28To win a regular season championship in their building,
06:33we needed everybody, and different people stepped up.
06:35And the way that it happened with everyone contributing
06:39was really, really memorable.
06:43Watkins, it's a row in the corner.
06:45Couch and shoot, ring it up!
06:50Uriathan, this ass.
06:51Cut!
06:52I feel like a champion
06:54Watkins walks it away from behind!
06:59Put it all on the line,
07:01isn't that a sign?
07:02Yeah!
07:03Watkins, another block!
07:05Back-to-back blocks for Juju!
07:09They talking stuff to me and to Rai,
07:11and, you know, just like,
07:12but we telling them, like,
07:13what's going on, guys?
07:15Y'all gonna take this L.
07:16What do you think?
07:17It is over!
07:19In this new Big Ten era,
07:21the Trojans are champions of the Big Ten!
07:24I feel like a champion
07:27A champion
07:31A champion
07:32You beat him!
07:37We don't hang over!
07:39Oh, you know what we have to do?
07:41We have to beat him again!
07:44It was special, you know,
07:45it'd been since the 90s,
07:46since USC won a regular season,
07:48and Juju and USC
07:50take down UCLA,
07:52not once, but twice!
07:57We're always happy after a win,
07:59but I think that one
08:00hit a little bit different.
08:01We're excited, you know,
08:10the team is clicking at the right time,
08:11we're all really comfortable
08:12with each other,
08:13so I think we're just more so excited
08:14to get to Indy
08:15and, you know,
08:15get this Big Ten championship.
08:17Juju, what do you have for us in March?
08:18Uh, some wins.
08:25That was really exciting
08:26that, you know,
08:27we were able to close out
08:28the season strong
08:29and, you know,
08:29we celebrated that for a bit
08:31and then we go on to the next.
08:32How's everything feeling
08:48for the most part?
08:50Uh, it's okay.
08:51Just my legs, mainly.
08:53Your neck okay?
08:54Because I saw you
08:55laying it kind of hard.
08:56Oh, yeah, I'm fine.
08:57Okay.
08:59And some shoulders still.
09:02Going into the Big Ten tournament,
09:05you want to go into each game
09:06feeling like you're at your best.
09:10Just making sure
09:11that you're doing the most
09:13to just prepare yourself.
09:15When we was at the arena,
09:16I did, like, ice bath.
09:18This is the next step.
09:19And then I'm just gonna hydrate and stuff.
09:23The season's so long,
09:24so you really start to feel
09:26little knickknacks
09:27towards the end of the season.
09:30It's just being more intentional
09:31about caring for your body.
09:33My knee on this leg.
09:34Where do you feel it?
09:35Here?
09:36It's, like, right on top.
09:37Okay.
09:39You have air and check it out?
09:41She's been checking it out
09:42for two times.
09:43Dang, you're still here.
09:46Girl, my knee hurts.
09:48I have to keep reminding myself
09:49this is, like,
09:50the final stretch.
09:52Just maximize the amount
09:53of time that was left
09:54and taking every game
09:56as an opportunity
09:56to get better
09:57and prepare myself.
10:05Conference tournaments
10:06are always interesting, right?
10:07Because they come after
10:08a long regular season
10:09and they're before
10:10the NCAA tournament.
10:11So we were able to say,
10:13okay, check, you know,
10:15regular season champs
10:16and we know what's on the horizon
10:17with the NCAA tournament,
10:17but here's a chance
10:19to just play in a competitive
10:20one-and-done situation
10:22and that's how we approached it.
10:25Winning the tournament
10:26would give us a lot of momentum
10:28going into March Madness.
10:31You know, we did it last year,
10:32so to repeat,
10:34you know, it would be great.
10:37Quarter-final day
10:38at the Big Ten tournament,
10:39USC and Indiana.
10:41A spot in the semifinals
10:42on the line.
10:44Our first game of the tournament
10:46we played Indiana.
10:48Indiana's a great team.
10:49It was going to be a grinder.
10:56Juju Watkins forcing the defense,
10:59turning it into offense.
11:02Their zone tracks down
11:03the long rebound.
11:05Fires ahead,
11:05Power Gesser lays it up and in.
11:08We knew Indiana would be a tough game.
11:10We were the one seed,
11:10but they're a really good team.
11:14We had to fight and claw
11:16to stay competitive.
11:17Listen to me.
11:24Post-season intensity, good.
11:26They're good.
11:26We got to stay together.
11:28All of us got to put great
11:29rock ball pressure,
11:30but when your kid leaves it,
11:31then it goes,
11:32that way we got to jump to the ball.
11:33We're going to get on flexes
11:34and shuffles.
11:34Don't get this right.
11:35Yes.
11:36All rocks are back.
11:37Exactly.
11:38Exactly.
11:38We got you back.
11:39Yeah, and let's go.
11:40So listen, play.
11:41Help each other.
11:42Body on a body.
11:47Watkins windexes the rebound.
11:50Down the left side of the lane.
11:51A euro to the club.
11:52Flips it up and in.
11:54Through traffic and over game zone
11:56to put USC back in front.
11:57They're a hard team to play.
12:01We did what we needed to do
12:03to move on to the next round.
12:05Here's Juju Watkins.
12:0727 points today.
12:08Change the number quickly.
12:11Juju Watkins has 30 points
12:14for the seventh time this season.
12:16And the one seed URAC
12:19is on to the semifinal.
12:22Every win in March
12:24is a big freaking win.
12:26Keeks, you're going to lead us.
12:27I'll put this one in the end.
12:30Ready?
12:30You ready?
12:31I'm ready.
12:35Three, two, one.
12:38Yeah, U.S.P.
12:49Yeah, U.S.P.
12:54Fans filing in.
12:56A fantastic day ahead
12:58as the Big Ten champion Trojans
13:00look to march on
13:01when they take on
13:02the confident freshman-led
13:04Michigan Wolverines.
13:06We had already played Michigan
13:07in the regular season.
13:08Great team.
13:10A lot of potential.
13:11Very young.
13:12Stay together.
13:13Be the fastest team
13:14on O&D.
13:15Be the fastest team.
13:16Let's go.
13:17Have each other's back.
13:18Do the O3.
13:19One, two, three.
13:21U.S.P.
13:22We had an idea
13:23of what they were capable of,
13:25but at the end of the day,
13:26you know, it's tournament play,
13:27so really anybody can go off.
13:30And here we go
13:31in the Big Ten tournament semifinal.
13:34Winner to the title game
13:35tomorrow afternoon.
13:38Austin working for Sylph
13:40in the pace.
13:43They kind of came at us early
13:45and made a bunch of shots.
13:46It wasn't, you know,
13:47something that was given
13:48to us in any way.
13:49Bob has control for Michigan.
13:51Top of the key.
13:52Launches a three.
13:53Oh, hits it.
13:54But what we learned
13:57over the course of the year
13:58is how to take
14:00someone's punch,
14:01so to speak,
14:02and adjust.
14:03Powell,
14:04back to Uriah Van,
14:05right corner.
14:06Pull up is perfect.
14:08Rick Marshall
14:08steadies herself
14:09with the power dribble.
14:11Up and in.
14:14Block him,
14:14right elbow.
14:15Pulls up and hits.
14:17Shoot.
14:18We had to be the aggressors.
14:21We had to find a way
14:21to get to our sweet spots.
14:22Here we have been
14:26with the steal.
14:31Rayling Watkins.
14:32Uro steps to the club.
14:34Block, cross,
14:35and up and down.
14:36Get another stop, guys.
14:38Get another stop.
14:39Shot clock under 10.
14:41Watkins down the right
14:42side of the lane
14:42to the club.
14:43Up and in.
14:45The exclamation point.
14:46All the way, Juju.
14:50Watching Juju
14:52and Kiki Uriah Van
14:53both have double-doubles
14:55was a bright spot
14:56for USC
14:57because that was
14:58what they were
14:58trying to figure out
14:59all season.
15:00How do both of these
15:01superstars thrive
15:02on the court together?
15:06The buzzer sounds.
15:08It's over.
15:09The one seed.
15:10USC is on
15:11to the Big Ten
15:12tournament title.
15:13They will face UCLA
15:16for the third time
15:17this season.
15:20Good job, you guys.
15:29We know that we know
15:31them really well.
15:32But I want us
15:34to lock in
15:35on a few areas
15:37that we can approve.
15:39We're going to start
15:40with the Betts D.
15:40We don't,
15:42we can't,
15:43we will not let her
15:44get two feet
15:44in the paint touches.
15:47When she puts
15:48the sucker on the floor
15:49and goes down like this,
15:50we can go get it.
15:51And I think we can go
15:52get it more aggressively
15:53than last time.
15:55It's really hard
15:56to play a team
15:56three times.
15:57It's hard to beat
15:58a team three times.
16:00Now let's talk
16:01about our shares, right?
16:02Good.
16:02Hit the shake.
16:03Good.
16:04Sharing is caring.
16:05Hello.
16:06Really good job.
16:07Sharing the basketball, right?
16:08Listen, these are
16:09probably going to be
16:10someone to look tomorrow.
16:11They're probably going
16:12to put a lot of pressure
16:13on the ball screen
16:14the way that Michigan did,
16:15but it's okay
16:15because we have
16:16this right here.
16:17Duke, the N1,
16:18really good job
16:19putting them on their heels.
16:21People remember first
16:22and they remember last.
16:23And so your conference
16:24championship is
16:25your last shot
16:26at letting everyone know
16:28what you're bringing
16:29to the NCAA tournament.
16:31And so a lot of times
16:32you like to think
16:33that if I can win
16:34this tournament
16:35on back-to-back-to-back days,
16:37feeling as tired
16:39as we are,
16:40it's just a mental edge
16:42that you have
16:44going into the NCAA tournament.
16:46It's hard to have
16:47such a short amount
16:48of time to prepare
16:49for each team.
16:50So when it comes to
16:51us versus UCLA,
16:52it's just a matter
16:53of who can last the longest.
16:55play UCLA for the third time.
17:08It was insane.
17:12Eight days ago,
17:13they played for the Big Ten
17:15regular season title
17:16and eight days later,
17:18they once again
17:19face off
17:20for the Big Ten
17:21tournament title.
17:23Let's go, Juju!
17:24It's just a matter
17:25of just trying
17:26to always kind of
17:28stay one step ahead
17:29the whole game
17:30and handle the runs
17:32because they're
17:33such a great team.
17:38Watkins has it left wing.
17:40Barker in her grill.
17:42Watkins finds Kiki
17:43on the left block.
17:45UCLA does not want
17:46to let Watkins beat them,
17:47but she did there.
17:48I felt like the first half
17:53was almost a continuation
17:55of kind of how
17:56the other games had gone.
17:57Juju came out
17:58and was like,
17:59okay, you still don't
17:59have an answer for me.
18:01We were more in control.
18:04It was a good game.
18:05They pushed us
18:06to be our best.
18:09Get it!
18:09Wow.
18:10Watkins,
18:1010 seconds to go
18:12in the first half.
18:12Go, go, go!
18:13Beats Smith,
18:14left block,
18:15right corner,
18:15Howell,
18:16free to fire,
18:17hits the triple!
18:18And that's how
18:19half number one
18:20in their Big Ten
18:22tournament title
18:23comes to an end.
18:25Heading into the
18:26second half,
18:26UCLA made some
18:27really good adjustments
18:28to make things
18:28harder on us.
18:34They turned it up
18:35a notch
18:36and we couldn't
18:36quite match it.
18:40Barker up
18:40with the right hand
18:41from the left block
18:42for two.
18:42A feel-for-less
18:44quarter for the
18:45Trojans
18:46might just
18:47ultimately be
18:48their downfall.
18:50I was so impressed
18:51because UCLA
18:52changed their game
18:52plan,
18:53but I knew
18:54that it would be
18:55really difficult
18:56to beat UFC.
18:58Top of the key,
18:59Watkins launches
19:00a three and rattles
19:01it home with
19:0110.7 second
19:03platter.
19:03Switch all the
19:04screens out of bounds
19:05other than with
19:06vets,
19:06other than with
19:07vets,
19:08see if we can
19:08get a pick.
19:09We had a rough
19:09second half,
19:10I will say,
19:11and they capitalized
19:12on that.
19:13Watkins to inbound.
19:15Tries to get it in,
19:16Watkins to steal,
19:17up ahead
19:18on Ohlhoff
19:19and back to Watkins
19:20underneath the rim,
19:22flips it up and in.
19:23Three-point game
19:24with 4.2 left.
19:25I was not disappointed
19:26with our effort.
19:27We gave it everything
19:27we had
19:28and we went down
19:28fighting.
19:30Watkins with three,
19:31a half-court heaves,
19:32off the back door
19:33and it's over.
19:35UCLA wins
19:36the Big Ten
19:37tournament title.
19:41We have done
19:42a lot of winning
19:43and we've done
19:44a lot of celebrating,
19:45right?
19:45And it is our
19:47responsibility
19:47and we are
19:48to handle
19:49the not celebrating
19:50and the pain of it
19:51as well as we end.
19:52That is worth it.
19:54That is life.
19:55We've had two losses
19:55this year.
19:56Both of them
19:57have been shooting.
19:58But with both of them
19:59we have bounced forward.
20:00And so that is
20:01our only option here
20:03because the most
20:04important track
20:05is a performance.
20:07It was just like,
20:08okay,
20:09it's the end of the season
20:09so it's like
20:10you can't dwell on it.
20:11This is gonna motivate us
20:13more going into the tournament.
20:16We always talked
20:18about a national championship.
20:19Let's go, let's go!
20:20So when it finally
20:21came close to
20:22March Madness,
20:23it's like,
20:23okay, we have to win.
20:25March Madness
20:25is the best test
20:26of skill and resilience.
20:28She's a superstar.
20:29Coupled with her talent,
20:32of course USC
20:32is going to win it all.
20:35It's hard to not
20:36wish things were different.
20:39You feel like you're running?
20:41We will all wait
20:42very patiently
20:43for Juju.
20:45This is what I wrote
20:46on the board today.
20:47The only thing we want
20:48is for her to come back
20:49feeling like herself again.
20:51I'm Juju,
20:52I win everything.
20:52She's a part of
20:53the tsunami that's happening
20:54with women's basketball.
20:56Just add the Juju factor
20:57on top of that.
20:58It's unstoppable.
20:59One, two, three.
21:03We love Juju!
21:05Go Juju!
21:09Go Juju!
21:09Fight on!
21:11Open for that autograph.
21:16Juju inspires me
21:17when I play basketball.
21:18Juju is my idol.
21:19I like how she never gives up.
21:22I just love her playing style.
21:23I love how she pulls me.
21:25How she shakes me.
21:26She's really good at basketball
21:28and I hope I'll be like her sometime.
21:30You're beautiful.
21:32Never forget that.
21:33I appreciate that.
21:34I love you.
21:35I love you.
21:35I love you.
21:36I love you.
21:37I love you.
21:37I love you.
21:38I love you.
21:38I love you.
21:38I love you.
21:39I love you.
21:39I love you.
21:40I love you.
21:40I love you.
21:40I love you.
21:41I love you.
21:41I love you.
21:41I love you.
21:42I love you.
21:42I love you.
21:42I love you.
21:43I love you.
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